The present invention relates generally to the missile art, and more specifically concerns a system for ejection of submissiles from a carrier missile.
Conventional missiles typically include a single warhead which is carried to a target. A single warhead missile, however, is subject to conventional missile defenses, and usually can only cover a rather limited, concentrated target area. For these reasons, there has been a considerable amount of development in missiles which are capable of carrying multiple warheads or submissiles, each of which may be independently targetable. The multiple submissiles in such a carrier missile can be deployed to a plurality of targets, over several different routes, making such a missile very difficult to defend against.
A variety of problems are presented by such a system, however, and numerous operational parameters, including the velocity, attitude, altitude, size, weight and volume of the missile system, and the desired characteristics of submissile flight such as pattern density, orientation and line of fall, must be considered and overcome.
The principal problem, however, concerns the dispersing of the submissiles from the carrier missile. Various dispersing systems are known for such a purpose, although they generally fall into three classes: self-dispersion, centrifugal dispersion, and powered dispersion. In self-dispersion, the submissiles are not physically attached to the carrier missile, but are carried along by the carrier missile in its flight. The speed of the carrier missile is reduced at a selected point, and the momentum of the submissiles, together with the action of gravity, results in the expulsion of the submissiles from the front of the missile. Self-dispersion systems are unpredictable, however, due to the wide range of possible orientations of the carrier missile and is virtually unworkable at supersonic speeds, since the submissiles cannot penetrate the strong shock wave at the front of the carrier missile.
In centrifugal dispersion, the carrier missile is rotated at a sufficient rate to release the submissiles. However, the systems necessary to effect the centrifugal dispersion substantially increase the weight and expense of the missile system, and are therefore considered to be impractical.
In powered dispersion, the submissiles are ejected from the carrier missile by an independent power source. There are various types of powered dispersion techniques. The submissiles may be dispensed rearwardly, forwardly, or radially of the carrier missile. Examples of powered dispersing systems include a pressurized bladder system which ejects the submissiles radially when inflated; a sequence dispenser, in which submissiles are ejected at high speed forwardly of the carrier in a prescribed sequence; an asymmetric dispenser, in which the nose cone of the carrier missile is ejected and the individual submissiles are then launched from tubes; and an explosive dispenser, in which the submissiles are blasted away radially from the carrier missile.
Although one or more of the above techniques have proven to be effective with small munitions, i.e. those under three kilograms, none of the above techniques have proved workable with heavier submissiles, particularly when the carrier missile is moving at supersonic speeds. Typically, the submissiles are unstable when ejected at supersonic speeds; as a result, they often impact each other and the carrier missile itself. The flight of the carrier missile itself is also usually seriously affected, thereby disturbing the release of subsequent submissiles.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a submissile dispensing system for use on a carrier missile which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing system which can eject submissiles when the carrier missile is traveling at supersonic speeds.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing system which can eject submissiles without substantially affecting the stability of the carrier missile.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing system which can eject submissiles without substantially disturbing the pattern of the airflow around the carrier missile.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing system which can eject submissiles so that they are stable upon ejection and can thereafter be controlled independently.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such a dispensing system which can be deployed and then returned to its original orientation in the carrier missile.